


Do the Stars Conspire

by NeoVenus22



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 05:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeoVenus22/pseuds/NeoVenus22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quite the last person Inara expected to see on the other side of her shuttle door that evening was Zoe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do the Stars Conspire

Quite the last person Inara expected to see on the other side of her shuttle door that evening was Zoe. "Can I come in?" She got over her fleeting surprise to smile and say, "Yes, of course." It occurred to her that she'd never seen Zoe in her shuttle before. Nor Wash. She had always suspected they found her pleasant enough, but were not possessing a particularly high regard for her chosen profession. They wouldn't be alone in that thought, but if Inara kept her distance from everyone who thought poorly of Companions, she wouldn't be here to begin with.

"I need to ask a favor," Zoe said.

"Do we have a job?" Inara didn't help often with the smuggling and trickery, but there were rare occasions when her particular skill set was required. But it was normally Mal who asked. Or told.

"No, this is..." Zoe fidgeted on Inara's couch. "It's personal. My anniversary is tomorrow. I think Wash made some kind of plans."

"That's very sweet," Inara smiled. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she did enjoy the rare tale of matrimony. Not that Wash and Zoe were the sort to flaunt their luck.

"It is. But I was hoping you might have..." Zoe gestured vaguely at her body, and Inara had to attempt to interpret it.

"A dress?"

"That's right."

"I have more than enough," Inara assured her. "Let's see what we can find you."

"Nothing fluffy or bright," Zoe cautioned, as Inara approached her closets. "I ain't Kaylee."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Inara, smiling at a row of skirts, where Zoe couldn't see. "Although, if you don't mind my saying, a dress like that would hardly suit you."

"I don't mind you sayin'."

Inara rustled through her various gowns, looking for something sleek and slinky that would work on Zoe's tall, graceful figure. Unfortunately, she had a height advantage of several inches over Inara, so finding an exact size match would be difficult.

Behind her, Zoe sighed. Inara chanced a glance and saw the woman relaxing finally, settling back against the plush curtains and allowing herself to look around. "Haven't been here since you moved in," she said.

"But before?"

"Once or twice. When the Captain was lookin' to rent the place out. Looks better now."

"Thank you," said Inara, then let out a small murmur of satisfaction as she found a rich, golden sheath. "I think this might be perfect. Here."

Zoe slipped behind one of Inara's partitions to change, and Inara went to work making tea, so Zoe wouldn't feel as though she was being watched. When her guest emerged moments later, Inara couldn't stop a blossoming smile. "Zoe, you look beautiful."

"I think it's too short," Zoe griped.

"Wash has always made great claim as to how much he loves your legs," Inara answered. "I think he'll be pleased."

Zoe looked away and Inara felt a stab of chagrin; perhaps Zoe didn't consider dinner table jokes repeatable, true though they were. Or maybe it was possible she was the sort of woman uncomfortable with too much scrutiny of her feminine attributes. Inara didn't think Zoe was the type: she possessed a lithe, natural grace that far outshone what Inara had been carefully taught.

"I ain't much for dresses," Zoe said, with a vague, embarrassed look.

"That's unfair, as they seem to be much for you. You can keep it, if you like."

"I couldn't."

"Please. Consider it an anniversary gift. Besides, I think it'll get appreciated far more than when I ever wore it. Wash is a lucky man."

"I'm a lucky woman," was the answer, and she looked surprised as if to reveal that much, although it was no secret how deeply their love for one another ran.

"There are countless people who wish they had the sort of relationship you two have."

"You included in that?"

Inara smiled. "My work tends to prevent that sort of relationship."

"You wouldn't quit?"

"Only for the right reasons," was all Inara chose to reveal. This wasn't the sort of thing she'd even discuss with Kaylee, the eternal romantic who remained convinced someday a rich, handsome client would sweep Inara off her feet and whisk her away to live in blissful domesticity. It wasn't the sort of thing Inara considered, but she had her ideas of the moment it would happen, where her own happiness suddenly overrode the happiness of others that it was her job to grant.

"Think you'll still stick around? You seem like you'd be better suited for a nice life in a house somewhere."

"Maybe, but I think I'd miss this. Seeing the stars. The thrill of uncertainty. Waiting to see what the universe is going to offer us next."

Zoe smiled. "Guess you and I aren't so different after all."

And Inara realized she was right.


End file.
